Casper Ruud has spoken on behalf of the Russian players in his podcast.
Casper Ruud, 24, celebrated winning the ATP tournament in Portugal on Sunday. PDO
After a year’s break, Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to participate again in the legendary Wimbledon tennis tournament next summer.
Norway’s star player Casper Ruud is happy for his colleagues.
– I felt sorry for them last year, Ruud says in his own Ruud in his Talk podcast.
The Russians and Belarusians were excluded from the tournament last year, when Russia started a war of aggression in Ukraine a little over a year ago. The war is still going on, but the mind of the tennis people has changed now. Ruud is satisfied with the decision.
– They have nothing to do with it (the war). It’s not their fault they were born there. Daniel (Medvedev), Karen (Khachanov) and Andrei (Rublev) have traveled around the world creating their careers outside of Russia. They cannot influence where they were born, Ruud justifies his position.
Russians and Belarusians are subject to certain conditions in order to participate in Wimbledon. First of all, they must appear as neutral athletes without national symbols. They must not show their support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nor raise financial support from their countries for their participation.
According to Ruud, Russian and Belarusian players accept the requirements.
– For example, Andrei has made it very clear from the beginning that he is against the war. You can’t demand anything else from them, says Ruud.
Wimbledon will be played from July 3 to July 16.